Puffy Tee hails Afrobeat growth, urges govt action

Puffy Tee hails Afrobeat growth globally but urges Nigerian government to invest more in the music industry for long-term success

Puffy Tee hails Afrobeat growth in Nigeria and beyond, declaring it a powerful symbol of national pride and creativity as the country marked its 65th Independence anniversary.

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Speaking in a message titled “We Are Proving Our Worth,” renowned music producer Temidayo Joseph Babatope, better known as Puffy Tee, described Afrobeat’s global rise as remarkable but cautioned that more work remains to be done.

“We are halfway there,” Puffy Tee stated. “Afrobeats is recognised globally, but only a few of our big artists have cracked the top internationally.

Nigeria is bursting with talent — once we fully harness it, we’ll see 20 or 30 artists dominating the global charts.”

Despite the international applause, Puffy Tee hails Afrobeat growth as incomplete without improved financial infrastructure. He lamented that musicians and producers are not being adequately rewarded for their efforts.

“Spotify, iTunes, Apple — the payouts are not matching the hard work.

The ecosystem is flawed. The return on investment for artists and producers in Nigeria is still extremely poor,” he said.

Puffy Tee, known for producing chart-toppers like Yahooze, stressed that a stronger music economy would encourage more young Nigerians to pursue careers in entertainment.

The veteran also praised initiatives like Next Afrobeat Stars, which aim to discover and groom emerging talent, but added that national and international Afrobeat festivals should be a staple in Nigeria’s cultural calendar.

He urged all tiers of government to develop tailored policies, upgrade infrastructure, and regulate digital music platforms to protect Nigerian creatives from exploitation.

Puffy Tee hails Afrobeat growth but warned that, like reggae, it could lose global momentum if not properly nurtured. “Once upon a time, reggae was unstoppable. Today, it’s all but gone. We must ensure Afrobeat doesn’t suffer the same fate.”

Calling on corporate sponsors and private investors, he stressed that token support is not enough. “We need bold investments. The real money in this industry flows in too small a circle.”

The Ekiti-born music entrepreneur concluded by expressing hope that Nigeria’s entertainment sector will get the support it deserves.

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“From the ‘50s till now, Nigeria has produced global stars. With the right policies, we’ll produce many more.”